US 11,539,618 B2 · Method and system for overlay routing with VXLAN

Abstract

In general, embodiments of the invention relate to routing packets between hosts or virtual machines in different layer 2 domains. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to using overlay routing mechanisms in an Internet Protocol (IP) fabric to enable communication between hosts or virtual machines in different layer 2 domains to communication. The overlay routing mechanisms may include direct routing, indirect routing, naked routing, or a combination thereof (e.g., hybrid routing).

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Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for routing a packet from a first layer 2 domain to a destination in a second layer 2 domain using direct overlay, comprising:

receiving, from a source and by a network device, a first encapsulated packet addressed to the network device, wherein the first encapsulated packet comprises a virtual address resolution protocol (VARP) virtual tunnel end point (VTEP) Internet Protocol (IP) address and an inner packet, said inner packet comprising a VARP VTEP media access control (MAC) address associated with the first layer 2 domain,
wherein an existence of the VARP VTEP MAC address in the inner packet alerts the network device that the inner packet requires routing to the second layer 2 domain,
wherein the network device maintains, on a per-layer 2 domain basis, a plurality of VARP VTEP IP addresses,
wherein the VARP VTEP IP address is one of the plurality of VARP VTEP IP addresses, and
wherein the VARP VTEP IP address is associated with the VARP VTEP MAC address;
decapsulating, by the network device, the first encapsulated packet to obtain the VARP VTEP MAC address of the inner packet;
processing, by the network device and based at least in part on the VARP VTEP MAC address, the inner packet to obtain a rewritten inner packet comprising a destination address in the second layer 2 domain, wherein the VARP VTEP MAC address is replaced with the destination address in the second layer 2 domain, and wherein a source address in the rewritten inner packet is the VARP VTEP MAC address;
generating, by the network device, a second encapsulated packet comprising the rewritten inner packet;
and
routing, by the network device, the second encapsulated packet towards the destination address in the second layer 2 domain.

7 more elements

A method for routing a packet from a first layer 2 domain to a destination in a second layer 2 domain using indirect overlay, comprising:

receiving, from a source and by a first network device, a first encapsulated packet addressed to the first network device, wherein the first encapsulated packet comprises a first virtual network identifier (VNI), a first virtual address resolution protocol (VARP) virtual tunnel end point (VTEP) Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a first inner packet, said first inner packet comprising a first VARP VTEP media access control (MAC) address associated with the first layer 2 domain,
wherein an existence of the first VARP VTEP MAC address in the first inner packet alerts the first network device that the first inner packet requires routing to the second layer 2 domain,
wherein the first network device maintains, on a per-layer 2 domain basis, a plurality of VARP IP addresses,
wherein the first VARP VTEP IP address is one of the plurality of VARP VTEP IP addresses, and
wherein the first VARP VTEP IP address is associated with the first VARP VTEP MAC address;
decapsulating, by the first network device, the first encapsulated packet to obtain the first VARP VTEP MAC address of the inner packet;
processing, on the first network device and based at least in part on the VARP VTEP MAC address, the first inner packet to obtain a first rewritten inner packet comprising a second network device MAC address associated with a second network device, wherein the VARP VTEP MAC address is replaced with the second network device MAC address in the first rewritten inner packet and wherein a source address in the first rewritten inner packet is a first VARP VTEP MAC address;
generating, by the first network device, a second encapsulated packet comprising the first rewritten inner packet and a second VNI;
routing, by the first network device, the second encapsulated packet to the second network device through an IP fabric;
receiving, by the second network device, the second encapsulated packet;
decapsulating, by the second network device, the second encapsulated packet to obtain the first rewritten inner packet;
processing, on the second network device, the first rewritten inner packet to obtain a second rewritten inner packet comprising a destination address in the second layer 2 domain, wherein the second network device MAC address is replaced with the destination address in the second rewritten inner packet;
generating, by the second network device, a third encapsulated packet comprising a third VNI and the second rewritten inner packet;
and
routing, by the second network device, the third encapsulated packet towards the destination in the second layer 2 domain through the IP fabric.

12 more elements

A method for routing a packet from a first layer 2 domain to a destination in a second layer 2 domain using naked overlay, comprising:

receiving, from a source and by a first network device, a first encapsulated packet addressed to the first network device, wherein the first encapsulated packet comprises a first virtual network identifier (VNI), a virtual address resolution protocol (VARP) virtual tunnel end point (VTEP) Internet Protocol (IP) address, and an inner packet comprising a first VARP VTEP MAC address associated with the first layer 2 domain,
wherein an existence of the first VARP VTEP MAC address in the inner packet alerts the first network device that the inner packet requires routing to the second layer 2 domain,
wherein the network device maintains, on a per-layer 2 domain basis, a plurality of VARP VTEP IP addresses,
wherein the VARP VTEP IP address is one of the plurality of VARP VTEP IP addresses,
wherein the first VARP VTEP IP address is associated with the VARP VTEP MAC address;
decapsulating, by the first network device, the first encapsulated packet to obtain the first VARP MAC address of the inner packet;
processing, by the first network device, the inner packet to obtain an unencapsulated packet, wherein the VARP VTEP MAC address in the unencapsulated packet is replaced with a spine tier MAC address and wherein a source address in the unencapsulated packet is a first VARP VTEP MAC address;
routing the unencapsulated packet to a second network device via the spine tier;
receiving, from the spine tier and by the second network device, the unencapsulated packet;
processing, by the second network device, the unencapsulated packet to obtain a rewritten inner packet comprising a destination address in the second layer 2 domain and a second VARP VTEP MAC address;
generating, by the second network device, a second encapsulated packet comprising the rewritten inner packet and a second VNI;
and
routing the second encapsulated packet towards the destination in the second layer 2 domain.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description9,596 words

Summary1,061 words

#Data centers typically include multiple hosts where the hosts, in turn, each execute multiple virtual machines. The virtual machines may belong to virtual layer 2 segments that span across a physical layer 3 data center network using an overlay technology. Traditionally, when using an overlay technology, virtual machines in different layer 2 segments are unable to communicate.

#In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for routing. The method includes receiving, by a first Top of Rack (ToR) switch, a first VXLAN frame comprising a first server media access control (MAC) address, a first ToR switch MAC address, a first server Internet Protocol (IP) address, a VARP VTEP IP address, a first VNI, and a MAC frame, wherein the MAC frame comprises a VARP MAC address, a first virtual machine (VM) IP address associated with a first VM, and a second VM IP address associated with a second VM, wherein the first VM is executing on the first server, decapsulating, by the first ToR switch, the first VXLAN frame to obtain the MAC frame, processing, on the first ToR switch, the MAC frame to obtain a rewritten MAC frame, wherein the rewritten MAC frame comprises a second VM MAC address associated with the second VM and the VARP MAC address, generating, by the first ToR switch, a second VXLAN frame comprising the first ToR Switch MAC address, a next hop MAC address, a VARP VTEP IP address, a second server IP address, a second VNI, and the rewritten MAC frame, wherein the second server IP address is associated with a second server, and wherein the second VM executes on the second server, wherein the first VM does not execute on the second server, and routing the second VXLAN frame through an IP fabric to the second server, wherein the IP Fabric comprises a spine tier comprising a spine switch and a leaf tier comprising the first ToR switch, and a second ToR switch and wherein the second server is connected to the second ToR switch.

#In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for routing. The method includes receiving, by a first Top of Rack (ToR) switch, a first VXLAN frame comprising a first media access control (MAC) address, a first ToR switch MAC address, a first server Internet Protocol (IP) address, a first VARP VTEP IP address, a first VNI, and a MAC frame, wherein the MAC frame comprises a first VARP MAC address, a first virtual machine (VM) IP address associated with the first VM, and a second VM IP address associated with a second VM, decapsulating, by the first ToR switch, the first VXLAN frame to obtain the MAC frame, processing, on the first ToR switch, the MAC frame to obtain a rewritten MAC frame, wherein the rewritten MAC frame comprises the first ToR switch MAC address and a second MAC address associated with a second ToR switch, generating, by the first ToR switch, a second VXLAN frame comprising the first ToR switch MAC address, a first next hop MAC address, a first ToR switch IP address, a second ToR IP address, a second VNI, and the rewritten MAC frame, routing the second VXLAN frame through an IP fabric to the second ToR switch, wherein the IP Fabric comprises a spine switch, the first ToR switch, and the second ToR switch, receiving, by the second ToR switch, the second VXLAN frame, decapsulating, by the second ToR switch, the second VXLAN frame to obtain the rewritten MAC frame, processing, on the second ToR switch, the rewritten MAC frame to obtain a second rewritten MAC frame, wherein the second rewritten MAC frame comprises a second VM MAC address and a second VARP MAC address, generating, by the second ToR switch, a third VXLAN frame comprising a second ToR switch MAC address, a second next hop MAC address, a second VARP VTEP IP address, a second server IP address, a third VNI, and the second rewritten MAC frame, wherein the second server IP address is associated with the second server, and wherein the second VM does not execute on the second server, and routing the third VXLAN frame through the IP fabric to the second server.

Brief description of the drawings14 figures

#FIG. 1 shows a system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

#FIG. 2 shows a VXLAN frame in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

#FIG. 3 shows an exemplary system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

Detailed description8,271 words

#Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

#In the following description of FIGS. 1-9, any component described with regard to a figure, in various embodiments of the invention, may be equivalent to one or more like-named components described with regard to any other figure. For brevity, descriptions of these components will not be repeated with regard to each figure. Thus, each and every embodiment of the components of each figure is incorporated by reference and assumed to be optionally present within every other figure having one or more like-named components. Additionally, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, any description of the components of a figure is to be interpreted as an optional embodiment which may be implemented in addition to, in conjunction with, or in place of the embodiments described with regard to a corresponding like-named component in any other figure.

#In general, embodiments of the invention relate to routing packets between hosts or virtual machines in different layer 2 domains. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to using overlay routing mechanisms in an Internet Protocol (IP) fabric to enable communication between hosts or virtual machines in different layer 2 domains to communication. The overlay routing mechanisms may include direct routing (see e.g., FIGS. 4 and 5A-5E), indirect routing (see e.g., FIGS. 6 and 7), naked routing (see e.g., FIGS. 8 and 9), or a combination thereof (e.g., hybrid routing).

Facts

Application

15/155,940Filed 16 May 2016 · continuation

Priority

2 Jul 2013

Published

US 2016/0337234 A117 Nov 2016

Granted

27 Dec 2022

Term ends

29 Jun 2035

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 363 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification10 codes

H04L 12/4641
Interconnection of networks: virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN]
H04L 12/4633
Interconnection of networks: interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
H04L 45/586
Association of routers: of virtual routers
H04L 45/64
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: using an overlay routing layer

Family

Application61/842,132Us provisional application · filed 2 Jul 2013

Application61/846,259Us provisional application · filed 15 Jul 2013

Application14/321,335Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jul 2014

US 2016/0337234 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Nov 2016

US 9,369,383 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2015/0010001 A1Published application

US 11,539,618 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

2 Jul 2013Priority claimedParent application 61/842,132
16 May 2016Application filedUS 15/155,940
17 Nov 2016PublishedUS 2016/0337234 A1
29 Sep 2017Assigned to Arista Networks, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
27 Dec 2022GrantedUS 11,539,618 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
29 Jun 2035Term endsEstimated, includes 363 days of adjustment

Method and system for overlay routing with VXLAN

Life of this patent

Method and system for overlay routing with VXLAN

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description9,596 words

Drawings

Classification10 codes

Life of this patent

Description9,596 words